Covering for an aluminium cell with burnt anodes

ABSTRACT

A covering for an aluminium cell with burnt anodes mounted on a cell framework comprises a set of inclined lids or covers, a set of horizontal lids or covers and end walls. The horizontal lids are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the cell, while the inclined lids located on either side of the cell, along the longitudinal axis thereof, are mounted on a common swivel frame. The swivel frames are articulated to the cell framework and are provided with a drive for turning the frames.

' United States Patent [191 Minchenko COVERING FOR AN ALUMINIUM CELL WITH BURNT ANODES [76] Inventor: Alexei Andreevich Minchenko, ulitsa Turistov, 16, Volgograd, U.S.S.R.

[22] Filed: June 20, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 371,697

[52] US. Cl 204/243 R [51] Int. Cl. C25C 3/10 [58] Field of Search 204/243 R-247 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,673,074 6/1972 I-lirt et al. 204/247 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 276,438 5/1971 U.S.S.R 204/247 [451 Oct. 14, 1975 10/1970 U S.S.R ..204/247 7/1970 U.S.S.R 204/247 Primary ExaminerG. L. Kaplan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Holman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT A covering for an aluminium cell with burnt anodes mounted on a cell framework comprises a set of inclined lids or covers, a set of horizontal lids or covers and end walls. The horizontal lids are arranged along the longitudinal axis of the cell, while the inclined lids located on either side of the cell, along the longitudinal axis thereof, are mounted on a common swivel frame. The swivel frames are articulated to the cell framework and are provided with a drive for turning the frames.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures '1 COVERING FOR AN ALUMINIUM CELLWITH BURNT ANODES L BACKGROUND-OF THE INVENTION This invention relates. generally to' the production of aluminium by the electrolysis of molten salts, and more specifically to a covering for an'alu'mini'um cell with burnt anodes. The present invention finds application for burnt-anode electrolytic cells of any capacity in aluminium production.

A covering for an aluminium cell with burnt anodes is known to be currently in use. The known covering is mounted on a cell framework and comprises a set of horizontal and inclined lids or covers and an end wall. The inclined lids are located on both sides of the cell along its longitudinal axis, with the horizontal lids likewise arranged along the longitudinal axis of the cell.

However, said covering suffers from the disadvantage that when carrying out technological maintenance operations of the cell (such as crust chopping, charging alumina and fluoric salts, etc.), the hot lids of the covering have to be lifted by hand which adds to the laboriousness of the operation.

Another disadvantage resides in the fact that the necessary airtightness of the covering cannot be provided during its service life and operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore, an object of the present invention to obviate such laborious operations such as the manual lifting of the lids of the covering which will ameliorate the labour conditions and increase its efficiency in attending personnel.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cover which exhibits a higher airtightness when performing technological maintenance operations of the cell.

In keeping with these and other objects, the essence of the invention resides in that the covering for an aluminium cell with burnt anodes is mounted on a cell framework and comprises a set of horizontal and inclined lids or covers located on both sides of the cell, and end walls. According to the invention the inclined lids or covers, located on either side of the cell, are mounted on a common swivel frame which is articulated to the cell framework and is provided with a drive for turning the frame.

The aforesaid arrangement for the horizontal lids and provision of swivel frames with freely mounted inclined lids enable lifting of the inclined lids, thereby making the cell maintenance operations less laborious and rendering the cell covering more airtight which adds a great improvement to labour conditions of the attending personnel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the proposed invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following specific embodiments thereof given by way of illustration with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic general partially sectionalized view of a covering for an aluminium cell with burnt anodes, as shown in one position, wherein one inclined side of the covering is opened to give access to maintenance operations, while the other side exhibits the inclined lids in the lowered position corresponding to the I normal cell operation; and w w Y 'said collector being-located on the framework 1 and at the :top'=of the cell along the longitudinal portion thereof. The covering incorporates a set of horizontal lids or covers 4, a set of inclined lids or covers 5 and end walls 6. The horizontal lids 4 are arranged along the longitudinal cell axis, whereas the inclined lids 5 are located on both cell sides along the longitudinal axis thereof. Two common swivel frames 7 with their vacant ends are held to the framework 1 through hinge-joints 8. Each swivel frame 7 carries an inclined lid 5 located on either cell side. The frames and lids pivot on the hinge-joints 8 which are parallel to the longitudinal cell axis. Each swivel frame 7 is provided with a drive of its own adapted to. turn the frame, said drive being made as four air jacks 9. The horizontal lids 4 are held to the cell framework 1 through hinge-joints 10 (FIG. 2).

The inclined lids 5 are connected to the horizontal lids 4 (FIG. 1) of the covering through hinge-joints 11 (FIG. 2). The pivot of the hinge-joints 11 is parallel to the longitudinal cell axis.

The aforesaid arrangement of the horizontal lids 4 (FIG. 1) and the inclined lids 5 of the covering on both cell sides, as well as the provision of the swivel frames 7 having the drives for turning the frames have made it possible to position the gas collector 2 in the top central portion of the cell. Such an arrangement for the gas collector makes it possible to catch the convective flow of hot gases.

The provision for the swivel frames 7 carrying the inclined lids 5 being freely fitted thereon makes it possible to impart more airtightness to the covering, to introduce mechanization into the lifting of the inclined lids 5 and to catch the evolving gases during cell maintenance operations due to the formation of a hood arrangement of the lids over the cell bath.

Under normal cell operation the swivel frame 7 is in the lower position, and the cell bath is completely covered. The evolving gases are entrapped by the convective flow and passed to the gas collector 2 and therefrom via gas outlet pipes to an exhauster fan unit.

The quenching of the anode effect is attained by merely opening one of the inclined lids 5 in order to gain access to the anodes. In this case the cell remains covered as well as possible.

When replacing a worn-out anode, the inclined lid 5 is first opened manually, then the horizontal lid 4 articulated thereto. A concurrent swivelling of the lids 4 and 5 is done manually around the hinge-joint 10.

When punching the electrolyte crust and charging alumina into the cell bath, a drive is energized to turn the frames with the inclined lids and simultaneously to lift the inclined lids 5 by means of the swivel frames 7 to the height required to perform the operations.

During the time when maintenance operations are being performed, the inclined lids 5 of the covering form a hood for the convective flow of hot gases to pass into the gas collector 2.

The aforestated arrangement for the covering components enables a more complete gas catching operation during all technological maintenance operations of the framework by hinges at the end portions whose swivel axis is located on the outside of the bars of the burnt anodes; and a set of inclined lids or covers arranged on both sides of the cell along the longitudinal axis of the cell, one end of each of said lids resting on one of said horizontal lids and the other end resting on one of said swivel frames; a drive for said swivel frames to turn; and end walls mounted on said cell framework. 

1. AN ALUMINUM ELECTROLYTIC CELL COMPRISING: A SET OF HORIZONTAL LIDS OR COVERS ARRANGED ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CELL AND CONNECTED TO THE CELL FRAMEWORK BY HINGES, TWO SWIVEL FRAMES, EACH OF SAID FRAMES BEING LOCATED ON ONE SIDE OF SAID CELL AND CONNECTED TO THE FRAMEWORK BY HINGES AT THE END PORTIONS WHOSE SWIVEL AXIS IS LOCATED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BARS OF THE BURNT ANODES, ARRANGED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CELL ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE CELL, ONE END OF EACH OF SAID LIDS RESTING ON ONE OF SAID HORIZONTAL LIDS AND THE OTHER END RESTING ON ONE OF SAID SWIVEL FRAMES, A DRIVER FOR SAID SWIVEL FRAMES TO TURN, MOUNTED ON SAID CELL FRAMEWORK. 